


gardening for dummies

by minouribia



Series: October Prompts [7]
Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/F, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:27:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,203
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26907358
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/minouribia/pseuds/minouribia
Summary: Regina's book goes missing. She rushes around town hoping— No, praying that it hasn't fallen into the wrong hands.
Relationships: Evil Queen | Regina Mills/Emma Swan
Series: October Prompts [7]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1950595
Comments: 1
Kudos: 76





	gardening for dummies

**Author's Note:**

> Apologies for missing yesterday's prompt. I was extremely ill. Still am a little. Well, regardless, some nonsensical fun.

“So, you’re telling me _no one_ in this library has seen it?” says Regina incredulously. 

Belle shakes her head, a sympathetic look on her face. “No, I’m sorry. I wish I could help more.” 

Regina opens her mouth, a cutting remark on her tongue, but as memories of what the book contains flash through her mind, she shakes herself out of it. “It’s fine,” she says in a calmer tone. “If you see it, please keep in touch, alright?” 

Belle looks at her oddly, but nods. “Of course. I’ll be sure to call you if I see anything.” 

* * *

“Regina? What brings you here?” asks Snow curiously from behind her teacher's desk. “Not that I’m not glad to see you, of course. It’s just that you don’t usually stop by unless something—” 

“Yes, yes, Snow. I know. But as you guessed, I did come here for something. A book, actually.” 

Snow perks up. “Oh, did Henry tell you about our new copies? Thank you so much for giving us the budget to buy more, by the way. The kids—” 

Regina sighs, pinching the bridge of her nose, doing her best to calm herself before she says something wholly unproductive to her mission. “As much as I appreciate the ego stroking, that is not what I was referring to.” 

“Sorry. Shutting up now. Continue.” 

“Thank you.” Regina pulls her phone from her coat pocket, shoving the screen in Snow’s face. On it is a picture of a book’s cover. “Do you recognize this book?” 

Snow shakes her head. “I’ve seen books with a similar yellow cover, but I can’t say I recognize it specifically.” 

“Well, this book belongs to me, and it seems to have gone missing today while I was at the library. Belle says she didn’t notice anyone steal it, so I’ve been forced to try and hunt it down myself.” 

“Have you tried asking Emma to help?” 

Regina freezes, eyes widening. A slight blush rises to her cheeks. “No, I think this is a little below her pay grade. As absurd as that may seem seeing as that entire station is incompetent,” she quickly tries to explain. 

Snow gives her an odd look, much like Belle’s, but doesn’t press her for any more answers. 

Regina clears her throat. “Anyways, it’s called _A Guide to Gardening_ and as you can see,” Regina points to the bottom of the picture, “My name is signed on the bottom of my copy, just below the daffodil.” 

“Wait, I think I’ve seen it, actually.” 

“You have?” 

Snow nods. “Yes, Kathryn showed it to me earlier. Said Fredrick gave it to her because she was interested in gardening.” 

“Fred. I should’ve guessed,” Regina mutters darkly to herself. 

She should’ve known it would be him. Kathryn mentioned an interest in gardening the last time they had brunch, so of course her idiot husband would pick up the first book he saw about it. 

“As much as it pains me to say this, thank you for your help, Snow.” 

“Anytime, Regina. And hey, don’t be a stranger,” she calls as Regina makes her exit. 

* * *

“Come in! I— Regina? What are you doing here?” asks Kathryn, shuffling papers on her desk. “Did we have an appointment? Is someone trying to sue you for curse related crimes again? Are you trying to sue Granny’s again for slander?” 

Regina shakes her head, eyeing Kathryn’s desk suspiciously. It’s messier than hers - which isn’t saying much seeing as she likely has the most painfully organized desk in this town, much to Emma and Henry’s amusement - and as far as she can tell, absent from any gardening novels. 

“I’m looking for something of mine. Snow pointed me in your direction.” 

“Since when are you friends with Snow?” 

“I’m not, but this is not a personal matter, per say. As I said, I’m looking for something. A book, to be precise,” she says, sizing up Kathryn’s reaction. The woman either hasn’t caught on yet or has one hell of a poker face. “About gardening,” she adds. 

Kathryn continues to stare at her, both bemused and begging for her to elaborate further. 

“It has a yellow cover. It’s called _A Guide to Gardening_.” Maybe Snow is still an idiot after all. “It has a daffodil on the cover,” she adds, trying not to show her desperation. 

Realization dawns on Kathryn. “Oh! That.” She laughs, shaking her head. “Oh, I’m sorry. Seems I’m a little slow today. Yeah, Fred stopped by to give that to me.” 

A tense smile bordering on a grimace crosses Regina’s face. “Great. Where is it?” 

“I gave it to David earlier when he stopped by for a case. He said Snow might like it.” 

Fuck. 

* * *

Hope. All she can do at the moment is hope that it’s still in David’s possession. 

Because if it isn’t… She shakes her head. No, she’s not going to ponder that. 

But Fate has never been a kind mistress. 

“Regina?” says Emma, looking up from the book in her hands. A very familiar book. 

There’s a slight flush to her cheeks, so Regina’s hope quickly begins to dwindle as she moves closer. 

“Yes, Miss Swan?” 

Emma stares at her, as if she isn’t quite sure what to make of this situation yet. “Uh…” She scratches the back of her head. “So…” 

“So…” Regina echoes, stopping beside her desk. She crosses her arms defensively, readying herself for the inevitable yelling or rejection or _whatever_ that is about to come. 

“This book… it’s yours?” She closes it, holding up the offending object. 

“Yes,” says Regina slowly, only delaying the inevitable. 

Emma stares at her for a long moment, gathering her thoughts. 

Regina shifts uncomfortably in place. “Please, spit it out already. I don’t have all day.” 

“Well…”

“ _Swan_.”

Strangely, a small grin graces Emma’s face at Regina’s imploring glare. “Me too.” 

“Pardon?” 

“I said ‘me too’.” 

“Please elaborate.” 

“On, uh, page… thirty was it? Well, I guess that’s kind of the overarching theme, but on page thirty you said that—” 

“I know what’s written in it, Swan. I wrote it.” 

Emma rolls her eyes. “No need to get so testy, Your Majesty. I’m getting there.” 

“Please get there faster.” 

“What I was trying, and clearly failing to say is, I feel the same way.” At Regina’s blank look, she adds, “Not sure how to really say this, but Regina, I’ve kinda been in love with you for a while.” 

“Pardon?” she squeaks. 

“For a woman who wrote so much about wanting to kiss me, you sure have a way with words.” 

That, of course, immediately snaps Regina out of her shock induced state. “Like you’re one to speak. May I remind you that it was only last week that you were fumbling over how to pronounce _Thursday_.” 

Emma grins, leaning back in her chair. “There she is!” 

“I—” 

“Go on a date with me. _Thursday_.” 

“Uh,” Regina says, ever so eloquent. 

“We can do it whenever you're free. So, maybe noon? Or would you like a dinner date? What are your thoughts on Remy’s place? I hear they finally added a kids menu, so I’ve been meaning to go.”

“Fitting,” Regina mutters under her breath. 

“Is that a yes?”

“I suppose."


End file.
